Montreal Public Health ‘Encouraged’ by Fourth Wave Progress

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Public health authorities in Montreal are increasingly optimistic about keeping COVID-19 hospitalizations in check this fall as vaccination figures continue to advance.

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More than 87 percent of Montreal adults have been fully vaccinated and up to 3,000 new people receive the vaccine every day, Montreal’s director of public health Dr. Mylène Drouin said Friday. When taking into account children ages five to 11, the proportion of Montréal vaccinated drops to 76 percent.

“I am relatively hopeful, with the start of vaccination for children ages five to 11, that we can achieve herd immunity and vaccination rates close to 90 percent,” Drouin said during an event organized by the Chamber of Commerce of the United States. Metropolitan of Montreal. “At that point, we will have to work very hard not to import new variants, but within our little bubble of Quebec we can still be protected.”

COVID-19 cases remain relatively under control despite the back-to-school period, Drouin said.

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“We have had an increase (in cases), but we are very encouraged by what we are seeing in the fourth wave,” he said. “Over the past two weeks, we have seen a drop in both positivity rates and cases, even though there are some outbreaks in places with populations under 11, such as schools and daycare centers.”

A low number of outbreaks in downtown Montreal also shows that workplaces are safe and that the vaccination campaign is paying off, according to Drouin.

There are 12 active outbreaks in Montreal workplaces, representing 69 cases, Drouin said. Montreal has about 60,000 workplaces.

“This is extremely low, and far less than what we had during the other peaks of the pandemic,” he said. “Globally, we can say that the measures that are in place in the workplace are allowing us to control transmission. Workplaces are not the engine of community transmission. These places are safe. “

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Quebec’s decision to postpone a mass return of employees to the office, which was initially recommended to take place just after Labor Day, “clearly helped us control this fourth wave and adjust our control measures,” Drouin said.

Most of the outbreaks in Montreal currently involve fewer than 10 cases and sometimes just a few, Drouin said. That’s less than an average of 12 to 15 cases per outbreak last spring.

“The vaccine is very useful,” he said. “It reduces the risk of infection, but it is not perfect. It is especially helpful in reducing complications related to illness and hospitalizations. “

At some point, Drouin added, “the virus will hit a wall and will not be able to generate large-scale outbreaks.”

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From a mental health perspective, Montreal has been hit harder than other regions of Quebec by the pandemic. A February survey found that one in three Montréal residents suffered from anxiety or depression symptoms, compared to one in five across Québec.

Mental health continues to be a problem. 52 percent of those surveyed in a recent survey said they are eager to return to the workplace, according to a slideshow that accompanied Drouin’s comments. For people ages 18 to 24, the proportion increased to 68 percent.

Returning to the workplace is a “retraining process” that should take place gradually, Drouin said.

“Some people are eager to reconnect with their colleagues. Others see it as a disruption of the family habits that they developed during the pandemic. So we’re going to have to deal with these things to make sure people see added value in sitting in an office. “

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